Teachers in Australia Under Severe Stress
A comprehensive study conducted in Australia has revealed that teachers are facing a major mental health crisis. According to research led by UNSW Sydney, 90 percent of teachers experience stress ranging from moderate to extremely severe, and nearly 70 percent find their workload unmanageable.
The study, published in the Social Psychology of Education journal and covering nearly 5,000 primary and secondary school teachers, showed that teachers’ levels of depression, anxiety, and stress are three to four times higher than national averages. The average mental health scores of teachers were found to be in the “extremely severe” category.
Dr. Helena Granziera, one of the researchers of the study, emphasized that the findings have serious consequences not only for teachers’ well-being but also for the education system, stating: “Our teachers are experiencing mental health problems at much higher rates compared to the general population. These problems are directly linked to workload and increase their intentions to leave the profession.”
According to data from the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, up to 30 percent of teachers are considering leaving the profession before reaching retirement age. The UNSW study heightened these concerns by showing that depression, in particular, is one of the strongest indicators of intentions to leave the profession. The study also found that teachers working in rural and remote areas had higher rates of depression, while female teachers were more likely to report symptoms of depression and intentions to leave the profession.